(Mirror Daily, United States) – Cardiovascular diseases are among the main factors that lead to US hospitalizations. But the good news is that the majority of this kind of problems are preventable if patients follow a simple set of guidelines. They just have to exercise regularly and know what the healthiest food for the heart is.

While one cannot fight with a genetic predisposition or a serious congenital defect, there are several heart-related problems that can be avoided by eating the healthiest food for the heart and exercising regularly.

When it comes to cardiovascular issues it is better to prevent than to treat. And the prevention measures have a very nice “side effect”. They keep people healthy, energetic and ready to take on the world.

But doctors are always advising patients to eat healthy without actually providing them with many examples of the healthiest food for the heart. But fear not, because we comprised a long list of groceries that will help you and your family enjoy a heart-friendly meal any time of the day.

Here is a list of the healthiest food for your heart.

Fish

Who doesn’t remember the dreadful moments in their childhood when they had to take fish oil supplements? And before the jelly tablets, there were the big bottles filled with gooey oil that children were forced to swallow.

Fish is rich in vitamins, minerals, Omega 3, Selenium and other heart-friendly substances. But not all of them. The doctors recommend the consumption of sockeye salmon (which is a bit lighter than the usual salmon found on the market), Pacific halibut, Atlantic cod, blue mussels, European anchovies, and yellowfin tuna.

Grains

Quinoa, for example, is a great source of Magnesium and Selenium. It’s also really tasty when it’s boiled with a few cloves and a half of lemon.

Another heart-healthy grain is semolina flour. The B3 and Selenium rich flour are usually used in the making of pasta, puddings, couscous and breakfast cereal.

Seeds

Of course, a salad is healthy no matter what because it contains chlorophyll and fibers, and very tasty olive oil. But you can transform a regular salad into one of the healthiest food of the heart by adding some seeds to it.

Sunflower seeds, for example, have an index of heart healthy of 76.7 because they are highly rich in selenium and magnesium. Also, they add a really nice crunchy texture when they are added to a salad or a yogurt.

Other healthy seeds are sesame which has a really big calcium and magnesium concentration, chia seeds, linseeds and poppy seeds.

Even though it’s actually a spice we are going to also include cinnamon in this category because it is absolutely wonderful, especially combined with a cup of dark roasted coffee or some dark hot chocolate. Cinnamon contains a ton of calcium and a whole teaspoon features only 6 calories.

Others

The “others” category feature tofu which has a concentration of 213.4 percent of calcium, 77.6 percent selenium and index of 88.7 when it comes to heart health.

You might also want to include more egg whites in your diet along Parmesan cheese, soybeans, liverwurst, brown rice, sundried tomatoes, Swiss cheese, shiitake mushrooms, ginger and agar seaweed.

Most of the healthiest food for the heart is also the tastiest food on the table. So you won’t have to make compromises taste-wise when you will start your heart-friendly diet.

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